Figure Out Your Edible Dosage of Cannabis

Edibles offer plenty of advantages for new cannabis users and experienced veterans alike. Smoking and vaping tend to be rough on your throat, especially when starting out, and the potential health risks of smoking are well-documented. Edibles also have a clearly stated dose, making it easier to get a consistent effect and find your ideal edible dosage.

However, edibles aren’t without their downsides. The cannabinoids in edibles need to go through your digestive system before taking effect, often taking half an hour or more to really kick in. This delay is the reason why so many people have a bad first experience with edibles. When ingesting them, you may start feeling impatient and consume another edible before the first one finishes digesting, leading to too much THC and unpleasant side effects instead of a pleasant experience.

Finding the right edible dose is important, so it’s a good idea to take it slow instead of going too fast.

Our experts at Cannabis and Glass in Liberty Lake, WA, can help you figure out your initial dose, so feel free to give us a call at (509) 710-7118 to get you on the road to success.

Factors Influencing Your Ideal Dose

Every person has a different reaction to cannabis products, which is why it’s so vital to tailor your edible dosage to your particular situation. Factors that influence how your body reacts to cannabis include:

  • Tolerance: Consistent use of cannabis will result in a mild tolerance to the drug, meaning that you can tolerate larger doses without getting sick or experiencing unpleasant side effects.
  • Body Weight: Individuals with higher body weight need more THC than their slimmer counterparts.
  • Metabolism: People with higher metabolisms tend to process edibles faster, meaning that you’ll feel the kick much faster than someone with a slow metabolism.
  • Type of Edible: Certain edible products, such as baked goods and chocolates, tend to have significantly more THC than gummies, meaning that you’ll need to eat a lot less to get the same high.

Effects of Various Doses

Effects of Various Doses edibles

THC can have a variety of effects, depending on the dose and the way you consume it. Knowing what you want from your edible experience can help you get a baseline of where to start dosing and how to move up responsibly. The following list provides a rough overview of how different amounts of THC may affect you.

  • 1 mg – 2.5 mg THC may lead to mild pain relief and stress relief and slightly increased focus and creativity. This level is a good place to start for first-time users or for people who are microdosing.
  • 5 mg THC may results in euphoria, strong pain relief and anxiety reduction. This is the most common dose for recreational use or for people looking to alleviate the symptoms of chronic pain or anxiety.
  • 10 mg THC leads to a strong euphoric effect and potentially impaired coordination. 10 mg is the go-to dose for experienced recreational and medical consumers. It is not recommended for people starting out, as it can induce anxiety or other negative side effects.
  • 20 mg THC usually has very strong effects. Those who use this level are mostly individuals with significant THC tolerance or digestive issues that affect absorption.
  • 50 mg – 100 mg THC can result in strong pain relief and extreme euphoria but is also very likely to produce unwanted side effects, such as elevated heart rate and paranoia in most individuals. This elevated dosage is typical for patients with cancer or inflammatory disorders that necessitate a very high dose.

Understanding Dosing Labels

By law, commercial edibles must have dosing labels that outline exactly how much THC you get from one edible portion. The most common dose is 5 mg per edible, though some dispensaries will offer doses varying from 2.5 mg to 20 mg.

Some packs may only list the total THC content of the entire pack — if the pack contains ten gummies and a total THC count of 100 mg, that means that each gummy has 10 mg THC.

Starting on Your Edibles Journey

It’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution when just beginning. Take a relatively low initial dose, around 2.5 mg, at first. Avoid the temptation to consume another edible shortly after the initial one if you don’t feel any effects. Rather, wait for up to two hours to feel the effects, and then increase the dose if necessary.

If you’re still not 100% sure what your ideal dose is, give us a call at Cannabis and Glass or visit our dispensary in Liberty Lake, WA. We’re always happy to help you get started on your exciting edibles journey. We also have dispensaries in North Spokane, Spokane Valley, WA.